TN Governer warns MK Stalin of jail, says dist trips to go on

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit’s office on Sunday issued stiff warning to DMK leader M.K. Stalin that his party’s agitations against his (Governor) visits to the districts and meeting with officials constituted a clear violation of law and could attract imprisonment up to seven years, and a fine. It said the Governor would continue his visits “for the sake of the common people who are benefiting from his district visits”.

Recalling that the Governor had met Stalin and some senior DMK functionaries in the past at the Raj Bhavan and explained the true nature of his district trips and his interactions with the local officials, the Raj Bhavan said in a statement that the DMK leaders were deliberately ‘misleading’ the people by using the word ‘review’ to describe the Governor’s action whereas the truth was that “in no case so far has there been an instance of the Hon’ble Govenor criticising the performance of any department or of giving a direction to any official”.

“To the contrary, district officials take delight in informing the Governor about their schemes, programmes and achievements. The use of the word ‘review’ by the Leader of the Opposition is an attempt to mislead the people. He is either ignorant of the law or attempting to overawe by threatening to besiege Raj Bhavan or block the roads leading to the Raj Bhavan”, said the Raj Bhavan statement, referring to Stalin’s Saturday rally to picket Raj Bhavan.

The offices of the President of India and the Governor of a State were protected under Section 124 of the IPC, which mandates that whoever “restrains or overawes, by means of criminal force or the show of criminal force” the President or the Governor shall be punished with imprisonment up to seven years, besides fine, warned the Raj Bhavan.

“During the times of the initial district visits, the Governor was engaged in trying to inform the provisions of the law to the Leader of the Opposition and other members of the opposing parties by inviting them to Raj Bhavan. Sufficient time was given for understanding the law so as to change course and abide by it”, It said.

It explained that the Governor is vested with the responsibility of protecting and defending the Constitution and this involves ensuring that the State is run according to the provisions of the law. Besides, in his capacity as the head of the executive, he “enjoys unhindered freedom to meet and interact with officials of the state, who are members of the executive wing”. Also, he should be familiar with the features, characteristics and problems faced by people in various districts to take right decisions at critical times and also to send meaningful reports monthly to the Indian President. “Those who do not understand the correct legal position or do not wish to abide by the law should desist from making comments or pursuing actions which are violative of the law”, it warned.